• Source:JND
Add as a preferred

Boult, a smart accessory brand, launched the Crown R smartwatch in India last month. The device flaunts a premium design and sits below Rs 2,500 in the country. It offers value-for-money features that budget users must be aware of if they are out in the market to buy a new smartwatch for their wrist.

I have been testing the Coal Black (with stainless steel strap) variant since August and can say it does meet my expectations. But does this make it a sacrosanct product? Read on as I share the good and the bad points about the timepiece in this review.

Also Read: Wings Prime Smartwatch Review: Lightweight And Comfy, But Hold Your Horses...

Good Display and Design

Crown R offers an immersive 1.52-inch screen with a peak brightness of up to 600 nits. The screen has crisp output due to the high resolution (360x360p) and packs enough light to be legible in sunlight. Encircling the display is a premium zinc alloy metallic dial and metallic straps to accentuate the elegant appeal. Plus, the brushed finish on the straps is the icing on the cake.

However, I don't think the metal bracelet variants of the watch can be a good choice for workouts and sports activity due to their loose fit and weight. Further, to test water resistance, I did use it during light rain showers, but the IP67 certification ensured Crown R worked undeterred. In short, I'm impressed with the build and display.

Smooth UI

This IP67-rated timepiece gets 100+ sports modes in the UI with a dedicated physical button to activate them. It can sync call history and display messages from the paired device. The overall UI is smooth and lag-free. You can choose from a wide range of watch faces from the 'BoultFit' app to customise the look.

The associated app delivers detailed stats on sleep, health, female menstrual tracking and daily activity (steps, distance and more) via interactive graphs. Plus, the pedometer sensor render readings with decent accuracy and gives you a good picture of your overall strolling for the day. It also offers a useful 'Find my phone' functionality to locate a paired phone.

In the software, I noticed a peculiar glitch with my unit. It did not measure heart rate, blood oxygen and more when triggering the feature from the watch. The same thing worked when I used the app. However, you are advised not to trade health-monitoring sensors in exchange for medical advice.

Calling And Battery

Boult Crown R has a single-chip Bluetooth 5.3 and offers up to 10m range. Owing to this, the calling experience is flawless in silent and indoor environments. I would call it decent in outdoor and noisy surroundings. In all, you will be happy with the microphone and audio output. You can also store contacts and dial phone numbers directly from the watch. The speaker is loud enough with a pristine focus towards vocals.

Connectivity with the smartphone was also seamless through the app. I did not face any connection issues, interruptions or glitches with respect to range. As for the battery life, the wristwatch survived over three days during my heavy testing (with Bluetooth Calling and 50-60 per cent brightness). Overall, the device gets a thumps up in calling and battery life.

Also Read: Hammer Cyclone Smartwatch Review: Feels Like Feather But Loaded With Heavyweight Features

Scope of Improvements

While Boult has introduced a commendable product, I feel the company can remap the physical button to go 'back' rather than 'home'. Secondly, the manufacturer can consider adding more functionality in future versions, such as a rotating crown for enhanced navigation in UI.

Boult Crown R Price

The Crown R starts from Rs 2,199 on the brand's official website. It is available in three varieties: Coal Black and Bullet Silver (which offers a Stainless Steel bracelet), and Black with a Silicon strap.

Boult Crown R Smartwatch: Should You Buy?

To summarise, I'm thoroughly impressed with the Crown R from Boult. The watch gets almost everything right - cool design, robust build, great display, good battery life and feature-rich software. If you are looking for a smartwatch that can complement your formal attire and prove a valuable addition to your wrist, the Crown R is a complete package that deserves your tech booklet.

For those who prefer a casual and sporty look, the silicon model can be a great choice. Lastly, if you are ready to shell out Rs 200 more, do check out the bigger sibling - Boult Crown R Pro. It boasts a Super AMOLED screen, a working crown, one-tap customisation for the physical button, Always On Display and more features.